1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image forming apparatus for forming a toner image on a recording material, and an image forming method of forming a toner image on a recording material. As examples of this image forming apparatus, mention can be made of a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile apparatus, a compound machine, etc. Also, this image forming method is used in a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile apparatus, a compound machine, etc.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, color printers and color copying machines utilizing a digital type electrophotographic printing method have been spread because of an increase in uses for forming color images. Also, recently, the quality of the color images has been improved and moreover, the use thereof as the image outputs of digital still cameras of which the expanse of the market is conspicuous has been increased. Thus, as an image forming apparatus such as a printer or a copying machine utilizing the electrophotographic printing method or the like, there has become required one capable of outputting an image of an ordinary quality and in addition, capable of outputting an image of such a high glossy quality as compares with a silver salt photograph.
An image forming method for obtaining such a color image excellent in gloss is proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H05-216322 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-91046. This image forming method fixes a toner image on a recording material by a roller fixing device, and thereafter effects the reheating of the toner image on the recording material by a belt fixing device. Then, the recording material moved while being in close contact with a belt is cooled and then separated, whereby a highly glossy image is formed.
In the above-described conventional construction, however, to form a highly glossy toner image, a roller fixing device comprising a pair of rollers becomes necessary besides the belt fixing device, and this leads to the problem that the apparatus becomes bulky or complicated.